Skin irritation, skin products, soaps etc.
Recently i have learned another valuable lesson…..
It's true I like many believed shaving with a straight razor would give me fantastic results and less skin irritation, but recently I wasn't getting the results I wanted, but knew I could achieve.
I have been shaving with a straight for a relatively short time but I know I can get repeatable results every time. I realise shaving everyday is possible and the shave doesn't need to be BSS in fact a 2 pass DFS is preferable for me, but for optimal results a three pass shave every other day will give me an achievable and repeatable BSS with no irritation. I have also discovered that a BSS is only preferable when spending "close time" with the wife, otherwise it's not worth attempting as visually a DFS and a BSS are too close to call.
I know this because as I learned straight shaving I stuck with one soap and one aftershave. I started with Proraso green cream and Old spice aftershave. If I used a balm it was Nivea Sensitive skin balm. I had used this combo for ages with no ill effects, So like I say tried and tested.
So back then the only variables daily where my skill and the edge of the razor. Some days cuts, Irritation, bumps, weepers other days a DFS with no irritation at all. All down to the learning curve, if I hacked I paid.
However recently something changed, extra sensitive skin became my norm, even though I was getting buttery smooth shaves. So what changed, how did I get here?
I believe it's because I started acquiring lots of soaps and smells that are regularly talked about on here. I read of people rotating their products and using whatever they fancied on that particular day. I did the same with a mixed bag of products. The only problem with this is I now have a load of untested or tried products and consequently have suffered with dryer skin, and am more prone to irritation even though my shaving and honing/stropping skills are much better. In fact I got hot the other night (several hours after shaving) and my skin decided to look like post "my first ever" shavette shave with added alcohol splash. Not good. Not comfortable.
So last week I decided to stick to one soap, to apply one known balm and a cologne and see how things went. I opted for Mitchel's Wool Fat. Nivea sensitive Skin Balm (no alcohol), and cologne behind the gills not on the chops. My purpose to evaluate the soap. The end of the week and my face is dry and tight. I know its not the Nivea as it's a tried and trusted product or is it the cologne as I have not applied it to my face, So It seems MWF is the reason and consequently It will go on the shelf for a while and be used again for a week or so later to see if the experience with dryness is repeatable. If it is it will go.
This week I have gone back to my original Proraso cream and so far my skin feels better and less tight I have a couple more days to go but I'm confident It will return my skin to normal. Im still using the Nivea sensitive skin balm and colognes as I want to be sure the dryness will disappear.
I guess what I'm trying to say is if your struggling with irritation and sensitive skin, is it your technique or new products that are causing you issues. All soaps and products are not equal for all men.
It seems to me, I need to use my noodle, and when I add a new product I should stick with it for several days to evaluate it properly. This way I will get to know my products and their effects on my skin, and eventually I will have a rotation of the greatest soaps and products that my skin truly loves.
So my aim this year will be to find a range of products and scents that I love and my skin loves too.
Anybody else had similar experiences?